The Dolores Lady Bears lost seven seniors from last seasons 12-8 volleyball team, including 2A All-State player Cortney Brunner.
Dolores High School coach Gina Hollen said her team is not rebuilding, though. Valuable varsity experience returns, and a senior transfer from Denver has been welcomed into the program. These ladies arent backing down.
As far as leadership goes, I dont think that weve lost it, Hollen said. We scrimmaged Saturday, and we learned a lot about each other. Yeah, we still have some things to work on, but I think well be OK.
Junior setter and left side hitter Cydney McHenry is back. She led the team in total attacks and kills last season. Juniors Mindy McCracken and Michelle Kline will provide leadership at middle hitter and defensive specialist. One of the new leaders is senior transfer outside hitter Jesse McKern.
Shes very vocal and very uplifting, and always has something to say good or bad, picking everybody up, Hollen said about McKern.
Many of the Lady Bears played in summer volleyball camps in the offseason, including the Adams State camp in Mancos. Some went to a Mesa State camp in Grand Junction.
The regular season begins Friday at always tough 3A Bayfield at 3:30 p.m. Dolores pushed the Lady Wolverines to five sets last year at home before losing 3-2. The Lady Bears are familiar with Bayfield and are ready to face them.
We got to see them last Saturday at the scrimmage (in Pagosa Springs). We definitely got to see what we should expect, McHenry said about Bayfield. They have height, which we dont have so much. Were going to have to be stronger defensively to pick up what theyre going to be hitting at us.
What Dolores lacks in height they certainly possess in team speed. But ball control is something the Lady Bears really improved at their scrimmage.
The girls were controlling the ball more, and we had a lot of good hits, Hollen said. We just need to see who our stronger server is.
Other nonconference opponents on the schedule are a home match with San Juan (Blanding, Utah) on Tuesday, Sept. 13, and a road contest at 3A Pagosa Springs on Friday, Sept. 16. Hollen likes to put a tough nonconference schedule together to prepare her team for San Juan Basin League play.
We have a lot of those games that prepare us for the hard games to find our weak spots, and to see where were strongest at against a very good team, McHenry said.
Some good teams in the SJBL are rival Mancos, and Norwood and Telluride.
Our league this year is definitely going to be tough, Hollen said. Weve lost a lot of seniors. Some of the schools havent, and we know that. Were starting to gel as a team. Were where we need to be right now.
One thing is for certain: The Lady Bears are eager to hit the court.
Were really excited from what we found out about each other, about how excited we are to play together, McHenry said. As a team, were very strong. Nobody feels that we are individuals. We definitely feel we need each other.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.